Vandam St, SoHo

Vandam is a really eclectic street and as far as streets in Soho go, it's one of my favorites. There is a lot to do and see and there aren't nearly as many tourists as other parts of the neighborhood. I wouldn't mind living on Vandam at all if I had to live in Soho. It's right in the mix, transportation is close and it's very pretty for it's two block run through the neighborhood.
Vandam around Hudson is a fun, little arty block. There are a couple of galleries, an advertising agency, a sculpting supply store and a couple of cute cafe / bistros. City Winery, on the corner of Vandam and Varick, that is really cool and you can make your own wine. The block between Varick and 6th is a very well-rounded New York block if I've ever seen one. There's a nightclub called Greenhouse that is completely eco-friendly (whatever that means for a nightclub). It used to be really trendy and really awful; now, it's on the downhill side of trendy and still awful. It's kind of oddly placed, too, because it's a fairly large space that is directly across the street from a few buildings that are historical landmarks. There are trees and rowhouses with stoops and then this massive nightclub thing. It's very bizarre. But, I guess, very New York as well. The rowhouses are from 1820 and look pretty close to exactly as they were when they were built. In other words, they're gorgeous. But, I wouldn't want to fork over millions of dollars to live across the street from a club. I bet they weren't too happy when that thing went in.
15 Vandam, next door to the rowhouses, holds the Soho Playhouse. This is one of the more noteworthy off-Broadway playhouses in the city. The building dates back to the late 19th century and the theatre has been around since the '20's. It was started by Edward Albee and has debuted original works from playwrights such as Lanford Wilson and Sam Shepherd. It's a really pretty building. Across the street from the theatre is one of the worst diners in the city. Do not eat here no matter how hungry you are. Seriously. There are a couple shops on this street that are mom and pop which really add to the charm that Greenhouse sort of takes away. I think one of them is a hardware store. The building on the end of the block (at 6th) is a tenement building ensuring that this block is as eclectic as possible. I don't actually still think it's a tenement but it definitely looks it which is kind of sad next to all of the rowhouses but also a testament to how quickly neighborhoods change in Manhattan.

This attractive, historic street in the heart of SoHo has plenty of attractions on offer for the savvy culture vulture. With the attractions of the SoHo Playhouse and the National Theatre Workshop right on the street, and a number of trendy boutiques and galleries like Compleat Sculptor and Frog Designs, this area is a pricey yet elegant slice of downtown culture. Hit up one of the well-known bars in the area, such as Greenhouse New York, City Winery, and Club Shelter. Transport is easy from here - just take the A, C, or E trains to Spring Street and walk 30 seconds north. The scene here can be snobby and exclusive, but it's far less "current" than some other areas - the elegance is more likely to be Upper East Side than Williamsburg, despite the downtown address. Vandam Street may no longer be the place "of the moment," but for those in the know, it's still a place to see and be seen.

Vandam Street shares a similar fate with that of its northern parallel neighbor, Charlton Street, except that there's a bit less to look at on first view. Its residential options are in the form of big apartment buildings that don't look like anything special beyond the brick and concrete. I happen to know some of the buildings feature some pretty good amenities, and considering SoHo and its stylish offerings are just a few steps away, I imagine you can live very nicely here. The cross streets 6th Avenue, Varick Street, and Hudson Street are all enormous thoroughfares with loud and sometimes dangerously fast traffic, so it's doubtful whether many people would choose to raise children here, which makes for a singles and twenty-something residential experience. At the western end you have an odd assortment of places, including the Aveda Institute, a big hair cutting and styling school, and “The Compleat Sculptor”, a place that offers art classes. You can see racks and racks full of ceramic pottery when you pass by, so I guess they offer quite a lot of those art classes. The street ends with a bunch of warehouses, and right near its endpoint at Greenwich Street it can be really creepy at night.